Chaffinch once again the most common species during the Euro birdwatch

12/10/2013 08:32:14

4500 cranes were seen and reported to Birdwatch events. Photo credit Carsten Fischer/NABU

Large numbers of Barnacle geese and cranes also seen

October 2013 - More than 200 million migrants leave their breeding grounds in Germany every autumn to spend the winter in southern Europe and Africa. Formations of cranes and dense flocks of starlings are easily seen, but there are also rare species such as East Siberian Yellow-browed Warbler.

Birdlife Germany (NABU) and the State Federation for the Protection of Birds (LBV) ran a nationwide birdwatch weekend over 5th and 6.

The records of 54 birdwatch events have been evaluated, which included nearly 41,000 birds of 125 different bird species. The chaffinch once again was the most seen bird, with more than 12,000 seen, including several thousand seen on Lake Constance.

Barnacle geese and cranesBarnacle geese and cranes were also seen in large numbers: Some 7000 geese and 4500 cranes were seen. Some of the rarities that were counted included two red-necked phalarope (North Sea coast of Schleswig-Holstein) and a Rough-legged Buzzard.